CD Reviews

"This is one of Chaka's best solo albums. Although it features early-90's production values, the strong songwriting and singing by Chaka more than compensate for the dated sounds.

There is a fine mix of R&B ("Love You All My Lifetime"), ballads ("Look At Me That Way"), dance-pop ("Facts of Love"), and even a reggae-tinged mid-tempo ballad (the stunning "Telephone"). All the tracks fit well together, making this one of Chaka's most cohesive solo albums."

Khan best solo effort and a Grammy winner!

James E. Bagley | Sanatoga, PA USA | 03/02/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After two uneven albums (1986's DESTINY and 1988's C.K.), Chaka Khan returned to form with this 1992 gem.THE WOMAN I AM has no less than eight different producing combinations on the thirteen tracks. Yet the tracks fit together like a nicely diverse buffet. Khan's voice has rarely sounded some crystal clear and the tunes have never been so consistently melodic. Khan even co-wrote five of the songs."Everything Changes" is a rousing opener which recalls her best days with Rufus, while leadoff single "Love You All My Lifetime" puts Khan's voice where it belongs - out in the forefront. The percolating "I Want" deserved to be a crossover smash a la "I Feel For You" or "Ain't Nobody" (alas, the ... radio programmers ignored it). Khan even takes a song by the prolific Diane Warren (writer of ... [stuff] for Milli Vanilli and Bad English, among others) - "Don't Look At Me That Way" - and makes it more than passable thanks to her haunting vocals. "You Can Make The Story Right" could have benefitted from a few less choruses, but that fault is the exception on this album. THE WOMAN I AM is Khan at her finest."

A Masterpiece

kitbradley | Michigan | 02/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Wow! I really can't think of any words to acurately describe just how brilliantly produced and performed this CD is! Without a doubt, "Woman I Am" is Khan's best effort to date. This CD has something for everyone. Whether you're into R&B, Pop, Rock, Jazz fusion, it's all here in one beautiful package!I beg to differ with the previous reviewer, however. Some hits did come from this CD. "Love You All My Lifetime" skyrocketed to the #2 position on the Billboard R&B charts. "You Can Make The Story Right" was a top 20 R&B hit. The CD itself was a Top Ten R&B seller. Just because neither the singles nor the CD weren'tbig hits on Billboard's Pop charts does not qualify it as a failure. If Pop audiences didn't pick up on it for whatever reason, it's their loss. In fact, sales-wise, this was Khan most successful album since 1984's "I Feel ForYou". Not to mention, it earned her a seventh Grammy award!If you're fed up with the young, skinny singers with zero talent and you're ready to listen to a real singer, without all the gimmicks, thisis the CD for you. "Woman I Am" is a masterpiece."

I jumped for joy when this album won a Grammy award!

Preston | nc | 10/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album just shows Chaka Khan at her best. Probably her best solo album to date! You can just feel the soul and spirit of her singing in songs like Love You ALL my Lifetime, You can Make the Story Right, Keep Giving Me Lovin' and my favorite, the funky second song of the album by the Barnes production/writing duo. I played this back in 1992 and couldn't stop playing it--all the songs were superb! I was so happy that the album won a Grammy Award, for Best R&B album of something (forgot what category it was)! For that, those voters just were moved by that voice too! Even more than three decades later, she's still well loved by all of us with her passion for the music. If you haven't gotten this album, you need to see a psychologist, because you need to be moved by the soul and passion of Chaka Khan singing ovet these songs! Brilliant and excellent album!"

Welcome Back Chaka!!!

scott dorsey | Atlanta, GA | 12/28/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Woman I Am was just the record Chaka Khan needed to produce as a respectable comeback in 1992. Every track is slammin'. My personal faves are the funky and jazzy numbers, ala Everything Changes, I Want, Love You All My Lifetime, Love With No Strings and Telephone. The Ballads are nice too. This Time is the perfect song to play at a wedding. Bravo to Chaka! She's the best!"